While real incomes for ordinary people fell 15%, 1473 of the $1m+ per year earners paid NO US income tax

Ordinary families have much lower salaries and pay a much greater share of their income as tax for fewer government services.

Average income in 2009 was at its lowest level since 1997 when it was $54,265 in 2009 dollars, just $18 less than in 2009. The data come from annual Statistics of Income tables that were updated Wednesday.

The average tax rate was 11.4 percent, up from 10.5 percent in 2007, the Internal Revenue Service data showed

While the very richest paid nothing.

No income tax was paid by 1,470 of the 235,413 taxpayers earning $1 million or more in 2009, compared with the 959 taxpayers with million-dollar-plus incomes who paid no income taxes in 2007.

Their incomes are too low to pay taxes, that stat should shame you. Instead you use it to shame the poor. They pay a greater proportion of their incomes in State Taxes and Sales Taxes, so yes really discuss those who pay their fair share.